Brittney Enos

Words matter, they make a difference, they leave a mark. The words that left a mark, made a difference, mattered the most, was the Gettysburg Address. A two-minute, two hundred and seventy-two-word speech, a hundred and fifty years ago. Our fathers wanted everyone to be created equal. President Lincoln followed that vision.
You might ask why did this speech make such a big difference? Why do we still celebrate this speech today? To answer these questions, in just two short minutes, Lincoln was able to speak to the heart and soul of America. He did this by keeping his speech short and direct. President Lincoln had a goal when he arrived at the ceremony. He wanted to be brief, and get his point get across that the slaves should be freed. He sat down at a desk, took his hat off, and began to deliver his famous speech. President Lincoln was shy, quiet, and he had a low self-esteem but he was brave and a good leader. This bravery freed the slaves, changing history.
We still celebrate the Gettysburg Address today because it is important to remember the men who fought to secure the freedom of the slaves. There were forty-five thousand men who were killed, injured, captured, or went missing. They all fought in the bloodiest battle, the Battle of Gettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War even though many people were captured and tortured. There were people who were wounded so badly that they were left there, on the battlefield, to die. They gave up their life so the slaves could have their freedom.
Brittney Enos
Fisher High School
Fisher, IL